


lying with you half awake, stumbling over what to say

by ohprongs



Series: malec secret santa 2016 fics [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Introspection, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, bed sharing, don't count the number of times i've used the word 'soft' in this series, follow on from part 2, it's just fluff, just...soft boyfriends!!! soft malec!!! my weakness!!!, malecsecretsanta2016, not a lot happens tbh, set in s2 canon until the show airs probs, there's literally no plot, this wandered
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 14:27:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8671027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohprongs/pseuds/ohprongs
Summary: in which alec and magnus wake up together for the first time





	

**Author's Note:**

> written for the malec secret santa. [wolfspirals](http://wolfspirals.tumblr.com) wanted domestic magnus/alec and alec getting comfortable with his sexuality w/o having sex - hope you like it!
> 
> title from _one day like this_ by elbow

Alec drifts gently into wakefulness, stirring a little under the covers. He wraps the blankets more tightly around his shoulders, shielding himself against a cool breath of winter air, belatedly realising that it’s coming in through an open window. Outside, rain falls in drumbeats and the morning traffic passes by. 

He stays quiet for a while longer, revelling in the peacefulness of the moment. It’s not often he gets to lie in; he’s a late-riser by choice, but an early-riser by necessity. One of the perils of his job.

Eventually opening his eyes (and then almost immediately closing them again, then opening them once more), he’s met with what he’s certain is literally the best thing anyone could ever hope to wake up to. Magnus is already awake, but he’s still sleep-rumpled and warm, lying beside Alec with his head nestled into the pillow. He’s smiling softly, and his face is makeup-free, and he’s so beautiful.

“Morning, sleepy head,” Magnus says, words drenched in happiness. He reaches out to brush Alec’s cheek and Alec sluggishly moves his hand up to catch Magnus’. He kisses Magnus’ palm.

“Morning,” Alec says, voice a little croaky. He feels like he should say something - something smart, or witty. But he can’t think of anything. He just smiles, and watches as Magnus smiles back in reply, a slow, gentle grin spreading across his face like a sunrise.

God, Alec is so lucky to get to be here.

“Are you okay?” Magnus asks, a little bit later. Alec understands he’s not just asking about the immediate; this is the first time Alec’s ever done the whole staying over thing, and Magnus wants to make sure it’s still all fine.

Alec nods, or at least makes an attempt at doing so against the pillow. 

“You’re, uh…” Alec begins and trails off almost immediately. How can he explain all that Magnus is? 

The kindness, the resilience, the care. 

After spending a long, long time kissing and discovering each other on the couch the night before, Magnus had finally suggested that they should retire to bed. He’d made it clear that he had no other expectations of Alec than that they would, quite literally, sleep together - since that was what Alec had miraculously managed to request. 

Alec had surprised both Magnus and himself by taking Magnus’ hand and leading him into the bedroom, then slowly kissing him, cupping his face in his hands. 

They’d undressed each other, Alec’s heart rabbiting around and his tummy all fluttery. He couldn’t quite believe there was so much _skin_ , all tan brown, and he knew Magnus was well-built (how could he not, after that suit at Izzy’s trial?), but heaven above. Those _arms_.

Magnus snapped his fingers and made a pair of nightclothes appear for Alec - a simple T-shirt and sweatpants. Alec slipped into the pants and then looked at the top for a minute, then very deliberately moved it carefully to the dresser and left it there.

“Like this is okay. If it’s fine by you?” he said, running a finger along the line of the dresser. He chanced a glance at Magnus.

“No complaints here,” Magnus said, looking unashamedly up and down Alec’s body with a teasing smile. “Do you mind if I sleep shirtless?” 

Alec shook his head, swallowing, glancing down again at Magnus’ still-bare chest. He knew what that felt like under his hands; he’d touched Magnus, kissed him, made him breathless, made him _moan_. It was almost too much to believe. 

Magnus changed into a pair of hot pink silk pyjama bottoms and began removing his makeup. 

“There’s a spare toothbrush in the cupboard in the bathroom,” he told Alec. 

Alec left for the bathroom, then brushed his teeth and tried to compose himself. He blinked at his reflection in the mirror. He was an adult; he was a Shadowhunter. He could do this. He could sleep in the same bed as someone.

It wasn’t like he was out of practice. From when they were kids, he and Izzy used to sleep in each other’s beds all the time, if one of them had a bad dream or if they’d just snuck into each other’s rooms to chat and fallen asleep together. And then Jace had come, and then it was the three of them. Squeezing into one bed got a little difficult then, but the Lightwood kids were nothing if not stubborn. When Max tried to get in on the act as well, at least one person usually got an accidental elbow to the face, but it was worth it.

So it wasn’t that Alec hadn’t slept in the same bed as anyone before. It was…

It wasn’t even that he’d not slept in the same bed as someone he was _attracted_ to before, because some of those nights where Jace was in his bed after a nightmare were - yeah. Tingly. Conflicting. 

But maybe it was because this was the first time he was going to be sharing a bed with someone who he was attracted to who was attracted to him back. Requited love was a new feeling, and it was a nice one.

A very nice one. Warm, with fuzzy yellow edges. 

He could do this.

And it was Magnus. Magnus made it all so _easy_. So when Alec came back from the bathroom, and Magnus was sitting up in bed, tapping away on his phone, it was new and different and scary, but _good_. Magnus just patted the space beside him on the bed and glanced up.

“I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the left,” he commented. “I have a thing about being on the right. And of course, you can still change your mind if you want to. There’s no obligation here. The guest room is free.”

Alec had nodded, keeping his eyes on Magnus as he got under the covers and snuggled in closer to him.

“I want to be here,” he said, and the look Magnus gave him was pure delight.

It was very similar to the expression Magnus has on his face now, as he suffers through Alec stumbling over yet another sentence. 

“You’re - amazing,” Alec says, and, “thank you. I know this isn’t - you deserve much more than this. But this is so good, for me, being able to do this, with you. So thank you.”

Magnus’ eyes soften and he shuffles closer to Alec. They’re barely a breath apart, and Alec can see every detail of Magnus’ face. God, he wants to kiss him.

“I don’t want any more than this,” Magnus says softly. “I haven’t had it in a very long time. This is good for me, being able to do this with you.”

Alec can’t help rolling his eyes fondly. “Cheat. Get your own words.”

Magnus smiles. “They were very lovely ones. I couldn’t resist.”

Alec kisses him, and it feels so _right_ he could almost cry. They stay wrapped up in each other for a while, exchanging gentle, lazy kisses, fingers painting skin and sighs escaping mouths. Their legs tangle together and they’re pressed up against each other almost completely. Eventually kisses become mere brushes of lips, and somehow Alec ends up with his head pillowed on Magnus’ shoulder, Magnus’ fingers in his hair. 

“Do you want breakfast?” Magnus asks after a while.

Alec shakes his head, wraps his arms around Magnus a little tighter. “I wanna stay here for a bit,” he says honestly, and he can feel Magnus’ smile against his skin.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [tumblr](http://lesbianclaryfairchilds.tumblr.com)!


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